


Something I Need

by lindsaylaurie, zecretsantamods



Category: Zero Escape (Video Games)
Genre: Christmas, F/M, Fluff, M/M, Multi, Polyamory
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-23
Updated: 2018-12-23
Packaged: 2019-09-17 09:22:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,538
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16971939
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lindsaylaurie/pseuds/lindsaylaurie, https://archiveofourown.org/users/zecretsantamods/pseuds/zecretsantamods
Summary: While already in a committed relationship with Junpei and Akane, Carlos finds himself with another partner for Christmas.





	Something I Need

**Author's Note:**

  * For [epithalamium](https://archiveofourown.org/users/epithalamium/gifts).



> In my mind I kind of continued off what I established in [The Knowledge Argument](https://archiveofourown.org/works/7719934/chapters/17594008), but you definitely don’t need to read that to read this. It’s really just a bit of pure fluff. Enjoy and Merry Christmas, D!!

“Do you really need another boyfriend? You’re so greedy!”

Carlos blinks as he tears his eyes away from his phone and stares at his sister, who is grinning maddeningly at him. They’re sprawled out on the couch at his apartment as a cheesy Christmas movie plays in the background. They’re only about twenty minutes in. The city slicker main character is still adjusting to life in a small town.

“What—”

“Don’t play dumb.” Maria sits up and examines him critically. “No morphogenetic field required, I can tell you like Aoi. You’re texting him now, aren’t you?”

Carlos goes a little red as he stares down at the phone in his hands. “Maybe I am,” he mumbles. “But it’s not like that! He wanted to know what we needed at the store.”

Maria shakes her head. “I wrote him a list. It is like that. Geeze, maybe I should become a firefighter. I can’t even get one boy to date me.” She sighs and shakes her head ruefully.

“We’re not dating!” Carlos laughs a little. “Maria, anyone would be lucky to date you.”

She scoffs. “Don’t give me that line. Anyway, we were talking about you. Why not? What’s the harm in one more? Junpei’s dating him too, isn’t he?”

The phone vibrates in Carlos’ hands, only further incriminating him. Another message from Aoi. It  _had_  started out with Aoi asking Carlos to remind him what he wanted from the market… but it had quickly devolved into a conversation about what brand of crappy instant coffee is better, which turned into what Carlos thinks could be flirting…

“He is,” Carlos says carefully. “But I don’t want to assume that just because Junpei is dating him means that I should, or that he even likes me. That’s too complicated, right? This thing with Akane and Junpei… that’s enough without me getting involved with someone else.”

“He’s not a stranger or anything, he’s Akane’s brother. And I think he does like you.” Maria lifts her eyebrows a little and leans closer, as if she has a secret. “Anyway, I know  _you_  like  _him_  because you forgot to check the roast.”

A jolt of panic goes through Carlos as he leaps from the couch. “Oh sh— shoot, the roast!”

Maria’s giggles follow him into the kitchen as he scrambles to the oven. “I’m not twelve anymore!”

But all his haste was for nothing. When Carlos cracks open the oven, the roast looks fine, despite the fact that he was supposed to check on it ten minutes ago. As he pierces the skin with the thermometer, he tries to put what Maria said out of his mind. But it’s hard when Aoi is coming back in about ten minutes…

Junpei, Akane, and Aoi have been visiting for the past few days and his apartment has never been more crowded. Junpei keeps telling him to get a bigger place but Carlos insists the housing market is terrible and he doesn’t have enough time for that. So, they’ve made do. Carlos, Akane, and Junpei sleep in Carlos’ room and Aoi gets the couch. Aoi initially complained, saying he didn’t come all the way to America to couch surf, and almost got a hotel. But Akane sweetly reminded him that hotels did not offer five-star breakfasts and cute firemen to cook them. Carlos had blushed at that and Aoi had rolled his eyes but agreed to stay.

How Aoi ended up in America in the first place was all Junpei’s doing. The official line is that Junpei insisted it would be pathetic if Aoi spent Christmas alone, so he dragged him all the way out to California. Maria suspects Aoi tagging along has less to do with that and more to do with Carlos. But Carlos doesn’t think it’s too much of a stretch to bring your boyfriend when you’re visiting your other boyfriend with your girlfriend…

What has his life become?

The door squeaks open in the other room just loud enough for Carlos to hear it and he smiles. He washes his hands and leaves the kitchen to find Aoi, Junpei, and Akane coming in the front door with probably more groceries than strictly necessary. Aoi had only proposed the trip to get some (good) wine to go with dinner, and Maria made up a list of a few things they could use, but it looks like they’ve come back with much more than that.

“Blame Junpei,” Akane says when she sees Carlos’ questioning gaze. “He was the one who insisted on getting three flavors of instant ramen like he’s still at University.”

“I’ve never seen those flavors,” Junpei scowls, brushing past Carlos to drop his bag in the kitchen. “Besides, Akane bought a lot of coffee creamer.”

“I’ve never seen those flavors,” Akane parrots innocently.

Carlos shakes his head, but he’s smiling. He looks to Aoi, who’s struggling with an overpacked bag, and takes it from him effortlessly. “What did you buy too much of?”

Aoi grins and there’s something about that expression that’s so inviting and teasing that it makes Carlos a little bit flustered. “Alcohol. Too many flavors and all that shit. Americans really like that flavored crap, don’t they?”

“I guess…” Carlos says with a little shrug. He peers into the bag and sees a variety of holiday flavored wines and vodkas. Are you planning on drinking all this?“

"Oh?” Aoi steps closer to Carlos and even though he’s shorter, Carlos can’t help but feel like he’s being loomed over. “Can’t hold your liquor?”

Carlos can only stare as Aoi brushes past him to bother Junpei in the kitchen. Now without Aoi in front of him, Carlos can see Maria and Akane watching him.

“Told you,” Maria says, giggling.

Akane grins. “You were right. My brother and your brother… we’ll be, double sisters in law?”

That really makes Maria laugh. Carlos goes red as the both of them giggle at his expense. “It’s not like that,” he insists.

Akane steps forward and cups Carlos’ face. He leans into her touch. “Sorry, just teasing. I know how you are, don’t worry, okay? It’s Christmas Eve.”

But Carlos is very good at worrying.

During dinner, Aoi serves Carlos a generous helping of a very sweet wine that tastes off puttingly of peppermint. There are three bottles of various flavors open at the table and it seems random who has gotten what.

“Pumpkin spice wine?” Junpei sputters, looking scandalized. “Aoi… you’ve really gone too far this time.”

“Don’t blame me,” Aoi says with a little shrug. “I’m just the messenger. You should really be blaming this fucking sinful country for concocting such an abomination.”

“Mine’s not bad,” Maria offers. holding it out to Junpei for a taste. She’s sitting next to Carlos. Across from them are Akane and Junpei, and right next to Carlos at the corner of the table is Aoi.

Junpei sips the dark liquid suspiciously and pulls a face. “Is that supposed to be chocolate?”

“You’re so uncultured,” Aoi says with a long-suffering sigh as he clinks glasses with Akane.

In turn, Akane drinks her white wine and blinks. “Cheesecake. Here, Jumpy, maybe this is more to your taste.”

After Junpei decides he definitely does not like that one either, he looks to Carlos, who shrugs. “No, you won’t like mine. Peppermint. A lot of it.”

Junpei turns to Aoi with disgust. “Why did you even buy that? Anyone who drinks that better not kiss me.”

Before Carlos knows what’s happening, Aoi is reaching for his glass. He downs the rest of the wine in one go, not breaking eye contact with Junpei. “Whoops. Guess I don’t get to kiss you now. Big fucking loss. I’ll just have to kiss Carlos.” Aoi leans over and slips an arm around Carlos.

Carlos goes a little red and even redder as Maria catches his eye and raises an eyebrow at him. He coughs and averts his gaze as Junpei fumes.

“You’re a dick,” Junpei grumbles. “I didn’t want to kiss either of you anyway.”

“Liar.” Aoi idly refills the wine glass and passes it to Akane as Junpei’s eyes go wide.

“No, don’t do it, Kanny, please. I swear I’ll shift right now to some other timeline where you don’t ruin the taste of your lips.”

Akane grins at Aoi and takes the glass. Junpei gapes at her as she brings the glass to her lips ever so slowly. Even Carlos holds his breath with anticipation. But she doesn’t take a sip. Instead she giggles and puts it down. “Jumpy, you’re so dramatic.”

Carlos starts tuning out the rest of their banter because Aoi’s arm is still draped tantalizingly around him. He serves himself some more of the offending wine and drinks it too quickly. The roast is good, no harm done for ignoring it for a little while, and the meal passes by comfortably with Aoi’s arm around him. Every time Carlos thinks he’s going to pull away… he doesn’t. If anything, he draws closer.

Towrds the end of the meal, everyone is a little tipsy and Aoi leans close to Carlos’ ear to whisper, “Meet me outside in two minutes.” He gets up from the table and stretches out like a cat while Carlos stares bewilderedly after him “Be right back,” he tells the table. “Gotta take a piss.”

“Go wash your mouth out,” Junpei gripes. “Plenty of mouthwash.”

Aoi flips him off as he leaves, and Carlos is left with a growing pit of dread in his stomach. He watches the next two minutes crawl by as he stares at the clock on the wall. When it’s finally time for him to get up, he lurches unsteadily to his feet and Maria looks up at him with concern.

“Are you okay?”

“Y-yeah.” Carlos waves her off. “Just need to get some air.”

“Okay…” Maria is looking at him with too much scrutiny, so he hurries out of the kitchen before she can pick up anything weird from him. They’re so much more in tune these days that he’s had to ask her to stop prying into his mind. She complies… most of the time.

When Carlos gets outside the front door of his apartment, Aoi is waiting there, bathed in his porchlight and smoking a cigarette carelessly as he leans against the railing. “You actually waited two minutes.” He shakes his head and grins. “What a fuckin’ dumbass.”

Carlos falters. It’s cold outside and he’s just wearing a stupid holiday sweater Maria picked out for him. He shoves his hands in his pockets and averts his eyes. “I’m good at following instructions,” he offers.

At that, Aoi snorts and takes a drag of his cigarette before stubbing it out. “I just didn’t want the others to get suspicious. You blush too easily.” He takes a step towards Carlos, who instantly gets tense. “Relax. Jesus.” Aoi reaches forward and brushes a piece of hair from Carlos’ face.

“Oh,” Carlos says softly. A puff of his breath materializes between them. He tries to look anywhere else but Aoi is so close. “This won’t… this doesn’t complicate everything, does it?”

“Goddamn, you talk too much,” Aoi says, slipping one of his hands behind Carlos’ neck. His hands are cold, and it makes Carlos shiver. “I’ve already stolen one of my sister’s boyfriends. Another one isn’t going to hurt, right?”

“I-I guess?”

“You like me, right?” Aoi’s words are more of a demand than anything. He already knows the answer, obviously. His brazenness makes Carlos laugh helplessly.

“Y-yes, but—”

“Then quit fuckin’ talking! Jesus, I’m trying to make out with you at a holiday party. I shouldn’t have to say anything except ‘you, me, outside.’”

Carlos doesn’t have time to say anything to that before Aoi is leaning up and pressing mouth firm against Carlos’. He tastes strongly of peppermint wine but it’s not off putting anymore. Carlos slides his eyes shut and winds his arms around Aoi’s waist. He lets himself relax and the cold melts away as Aoi digs his fingers in Carlos’ hair. He’s not as tall as Carlos, so he’s pulling him down, pressing his body up to meet him.

When they break apart, Carlos is breathless and pink and Aoi is grinning at him like the Cheshire Cat. “Alright, fix your face, they’re going to wonder where we’ve been. I’ll go first.”

And then Aoi is gone and Carlos is standing on his porch wondering what the hell just happened.

The next ten minutes pass by in a blur. Carlos returns to his kitchen. Maria raises her eyebrows over and over at him, Junpei is still complaining about the wine, and Akane is giving him a knowing look. Finally, Maria excuses herself, saying she’s meeting up with some friends, and she winks at Carlos not so subtly as she leaves. Now, left with a mountain of dishes, Junpei says they should clean up later and the four of them end up crammed together on Carlos’ couch.

Carlos ends up exactly where he does not want to be, stuck between Akane and Aoi. Akane curls into him at once and Aoi slings an arm around him.

“Of course, I’m on the end,” Junpei mutters as he makes himself comfortable on Aoi’s other side.

“Quit whining, you’re going to have to learn to share this solid asshole.” Aoi pats Carlos’ shoulder appreciatively. “You two have really been holding out on me.”

“I knew something happened when you both disappeared,” Akane says, looking up at Carlos brightly. He’s trying very hard not to look flustered. “You have my full support. Jumpy? Tell him you support him.”

“What? Hell no. I can’t let Carlos date this… this degenerate.”

Aoi swiftly elbows Junpei in the stomach and Junpei starts swearing at him and Carlos can only watch in mild horror as the two of them start wrestling on the couch, right there next to him. Akane puts a hand on his cheek and gently guides his gaze to her.

“Jumpy’s joking. It’s alright. We’re both happy for you. I know it seems like too much, but you don’t have to worry.” She smiles at him and her eyes are so soft and gentle as she leans forward to give him a chaste peck on the lips.

As Akane pulls away, Carlos is smiling. “Uh, thanks, Akane. Guess it’s too much to ask for a normal Christmas, huh?”

Akane grins back him and puts a hand on his chest as he slips an arm around her. “Don’t worry. This is as normal as it gets.”

After a moment, Aoi settles back against Carlos, apparently done wrestling with Junpei.

“You see what he’s like?” Junpei grumbles, resting his head on Aoi’s shoulder and closing his eyes. “But if you must… I guess I support you.”

“Didn’t need your approval, asshole,” Aoi breathes into Carlos’ neck.

Carlos laughs. He’s comfortable and full and still a little tipsy and maybe just slightly overwhelmed to suddenly find himself entangled with Akane’s brother but… he’s happy above all else. And as the four of them eventually fall asleep on the couch, watching a movie that none of them were paying attention to, Carlos can’t believe how lucky he is.

 


End file.
